


Pawn

by Collectible



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V
Genre: Also this is completely unbeta'ed so there's your warning, Forced Academia!Yuugo, Gen, Rated T because Yuugo loves to swear, Takes place before the Maiami tournament, the work stays completed on the off chance I don't return to it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-04
Updated: 2016-08-25
Packaged: 2018-05-31 04:04:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6454933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Collectible/pseuds/Collectible
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It turns out that Pawn of Fusion does fit him, after all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Uniform

**Author's Note:**

> Unbeta'ed, as usual.

For being a high-ranking uniform, Yuugo never expected the outfit would feel so fucking _stiff_.

He'd seen some blue-ranked guys while he was led inside the castle, guarding the perimeter in groups of three. They stood like statues, tall and silent, their faces hidden behind their masks. He supposed a stiff uniform would fit people like that, but still, didn’t those creeps feel discomfort? He wanted to rip the outfit off as soon as possible.

His mirror reflection showed how he felt. Yuugo saw his deep frown and furrowed brows, saw his fingers tugging at his white cuffs in an attempt to provide himself with breathing room under the uncomfortable fabric. He resembled a soldier in this uniform; like he was ready to enter the battlefield and fight for a cause he believed in. He looked like _them_.

His frown worsened, becoming a disgusted grimace, and Yuugo ducked his head to ignore his reality.

“You’ve finished?” the bastard behind him asked. His tone sounded blank and questioning, but it wasn’t hard to imagine his sick, smug smile behind it all.

Turning away from the mirror, Yuugo faced the other boy in the room. He'd settled on the single bed against the wall--Yuugo’s bed, now--and had his legs crossed neatly, looking like a prim prince. No smile graced his face, but his narrowed purple eyes gleamed in amusement. He was smiling on the inside--about what? Yuugo didn’t care.

“I’m in the uniform, right?” he snapped, uncaring about his quick temper. He shouldn’t have to respond politely to someone like _him_ , or to anyone at this shitty military duel school. “It’s stiff as hell, but I’m wearing it. Anything else you want me to do, you bastard?”

The bastard tilted his head. “Yuuri.”

“What?”

“My name is Yuuri, not ‘you bastard.'”

Yuugo snorted. “You’re gonna be ‘you bastard’ until the day I die, you bastard. Now what am I supposed to do, dammit? I didn’t come here just to have you stare at me like some freak.”

Despite the back-to-back insults, the bastard just shrugged. He stood up and patted off his purple uniform, and once he had finished brushing off imaginary flakes of dust, he cocked his head at Yuugo again.

“I’ve given you your orders earlier, haven’t I?” he asked. “Wait for the Professor to announce my-- _our_ \--new mission. Until then, you do nothing.”

Yuugo stepped forward, hands beginning to curl into fists. “I can’t do _nothing_! You brought me here, so you should give me something to do! Like--like--” Yuugo paused, fists loosening. Although her memory always rested at the front of his mind, it was only now that he could actually ask without Yuuri writing him off as a bother. He took his chance. “Like… like seeing Rin. I want to see Rin before I do anything that your _Professor_ has in store for me.”

Yuuri sighed. “You’re still going on about that girl?”

“Her name’s Rin!” Yuugo stomped to his side, thrusting his arm out to grab Yuuri’s collar and jerk him closer. The forceful motion made the smirk show on the bastard’s face at last, and Yuugo gritted his teeth. He roughly shook him back and forth as he exclaimed, “She’s not _that girl_. Call her by her name or else!”

“Or else?” The smirk grew. “So quick to threaten me when I’m your last hope. Do you want to become a card that much?”

Ugh. Yuugo released his grip on the collar, shoving Yuuri away from him. Just standing in the same room made his skin crawl--why did someone like him have to share his face? He preferred that other guy from the destroyed dimension; at least he knew how to keep his mouth shut. When he wasn’t calling him Pawn of Fusion, anyway. Not that he was wrong, in the end.

Yuuri laughed at him, which didn’t do his mood any favors. “You’ll have to do better than that to frighten me. But fine. You are a special addition to the Force, as well as my assigned partner, so I will see about you meeting that girl.”

His head snapped up in surprise, and a bright hope bloomed in his chest. Was he--was he serious? He’d actually do it?

“Of course,” Yuuri continued, bringing his hands up to fix his messy collar, “I can’t guarantee his answer. Whatever he decides is what you must follow. Disobedience is not accepted at Academia.”

Yeah, okay, whatever. The hope stayed settled between his ribs despite the bastard’s warning. He could see Rin. He’d know exactly where her prison was. Then, when the right time came, they could escape together.

Yuugo hated his look-alike and his comrades, and the Fusion dimension could burn in hell for all he cared. But if joining them meant he could save Rin, then he’d do it again and again.

“How long?” he blurted out. “How long until you ask him?”

“How long…? It should take several days; he _is_ a busy man.” The smirk transformed into a plain upturn of the mouth. “But it won’t take weeks. Unless you annoy me, that is.”

Dick. But Yuugo needed him, so he nodded along. “Thank you.” He wanted to vomit at saying thanks to him of all people, but Yuugo held in his revulsion.

He dropped his gaze from his counterpart, inspecting his practically empty room. Aside from his bed, a mirror, a small dresser, and a door that could be a bathroom, he had nothing. Which was fine; he never had more than what he needed back at Synchro, so why change?

“What… what do I do now?”

“Now?” Yuuri looked bored, of all things. “Now I leave. You will stay here. Don’t make a mess of your room while I’m gone.”

“There’s nothing to make a mess of!”

“All the more reason to keep it clean.” Turning on his heel, Yuuri strode toward the door. The door rose up as he came closer, sliding up into the roof as he passed under it. For a moment, Yuugo considered racing after him while his back was turned and choking the life from him--but the daydream vanished into mist as Yuuri spoke again. “I will return shortly, and then I can show you around your new home.”

He really loved pissing him off, huh? “This isn’t my home, bastard. It never will be.”

“Of course.” Yuuri tapped on the wall out of his sight, and he heard the beeping of the keypad connected to his door. A series of beeping sounded like a confirmation, and Yuuri looked at him again. “I’ve locked your door. No one can enter or leave except the one with the passcode: Me. So don’t try anything foolish, okay?”

Meaning: Try anything you like, but it won’t work. Yuugo shrugged. He was going to break down that door someday, so it didn’t matter if he had to deal with a damn code.

It seemed like Yuuri had nothing left to say, thankfully. With one last smirk--Yuugo suppressed a shiver of distaste at its innate malice--Yuuri walked off, letting the door slam shut.

Fantastic.

Yuugo flopped down on his bed. Everything was fine--actually, no, it wasn’t. Everything was shit. Rin was in prison, and he was, albeit willingly, drafted into the military force that had destroyed a whole dimension for some weird purpose of _uniting the worlds_.

This was shit.

But he was closer to Rin than he’d ever been, and that was all Yuugo cared about.

Finding Rin.

He could do that, right?


	2. Suit

“I need my riding suit.”

Despite the lack of noise in the room, Yuuri didn’t seem to hear him.

“I need my riding suit,” Yuugo repeated, glowering down at the boy cross-legged on his unmade bed. When he got no response, he raised his voice. “Hey, you bastard, did you hear me? I need my suit!”

Like he couldn’t bother to give Yuugo his full attention, Yuuri briefly glanced at him before returning to his disk. The hell was he even doing on that thing? He’d been scrolling on it since the moment he barged in and took Yuugo’s bed for himself.

He scowled at his assigned partner. What a jackass.

“This uniform's too stuffy for me to drive,” Yuugo explained, although he had a feeling Yuuri didn’t actually care. No, it wasn’t a feeling--he knew without a doubt that Yuuri did not care. “I can move in it well enough, but I can’t drive my bike. I’ll end up crashing if I wear this damn thing, so I need my suit.”

Yuuri tapped his finger against the bright screen and continued reading.

“Listen to me, you bastard!”

With a faux-tired sigh, Yuuri lowered his duel disk and slid his bored gaze over to him. “What were you saying?”

Clenching his teeth, Yuugo attempted to suck in a calming breath to reign in his desire to punch his look-alike’s face in. It didn’t work; his counterpart was too much of an asshole.

“My suit,” he gritted out. “I can’t drive without it. You took my suit and I want it back.”

“Ah, I see.” As if he’d already reached the end of their discussion, Yuuri lifted his disk again. “That’s impossible.”

“ _Impossible_? The hell is that supposed to mean?”

“It means that bringing your suit back cannot happen, obviously.”

“You--” Interrupting himself before he said something regrettable, Yuugo backed away from his bed. He shut his eyes in a hopeful effort to not see Yuuri--maybe if he didn’t acknowledge him, then he wouldn’t feel as irritated. “Just tell me already. Where is my suit, Yuuri?”

There was a hum, and then Yuuri said, “I had some Obelisk Force soldiers burn it.”

Yuugo paused.

Wh--

His eyes flew open in shock, immediately locking on to his smiling counterpart. “You had them do _what_?”

“Burn your suit.”

“Wh--” he fumbled for words, completely shell-shocked. “Why? _Why would you do that_?”

“Because it was old.” Yuuri curled a finger around a lock of his hair, indifferent to Yuugo’s horror, though his mocking smile stayed in place. “As well as dirty and unprofessional-looking. Why would you wear such distasteful clothes while in Academia? You’ll bring attention to yourself.”

The insult directed at his dimension broke Yuugo from his shocked stupor. His face flushed a dark, furious red. He stomped up to the bed, arms trembling violently at his side as he glared down at the boy. One hit--just _one_ hit and he might be able to forget about his destroyed riding suit. But, dammit, he couldn’t harm Yuuri. One punch would land him in the prison cells for life, and then how could he save Rin?

Right. Saving Rin; the reason why he was there in the first place. He couldn't let her down.

Understanding his unstable position didn’t help him relax, though.

“You don’t get to do that!” Yuugo burst out, throwing his arms up in the air to release his pent-up anger. “That was _my_ suit! My clothes! You don’t see me burning everything that’s yours, do you?”

“That’s because you don’t have anything that belongs to me,” Yuuri pointed out.

Shaking his head, Yuugo snapped, “And I don’t fucking want something of yours--that’s not the point! The point is that you crossed a damn line, and--and how’ll I even help you now? If I can’t drive my bike, then I can’t help you on your stupid missions!”

Yuuri’s disk dipped again, and his dark eyes gazed at him. “And why can’t you assist me? You can duel just fine on your legs; you’ve done it before.”

“That’s because...” Well, that was because Yuugo knew he’d crash if he dueled the bastard while driving. Manually driving his bike required concentration, and he definitely had not been in the right state of mind during their duel. “That’s because I was serious, that one time! But with my suit gone, my bike’s useless… How d’you expect me to be of use when I can’t get anywhere?”

For the first time since he’d arrived, Yuuri fully turned to him, providing Yuugo with his undivided attention. He still looked generally bored, but at least the questioning had somewhat gotten to him.

“Is your suit this important?” Yuuri asked.

“Yes.” Yuugo nodded, trying to express how important the suit was to him; as a riding duelist and a born Synchro user. “Look, yes, it’s super important. I’m near-useless without one.”

Expression blank, Yuuri leaned back against the wall. His duel disk flickered off as he sat there, dead silent, staring at Yuugo’s pale blue sheets in thought.

Yuugo shifted on his feet, waiting for him to speak up again. Remnants of anger licked at his chest like flames, but the fire had dimmed upon seeing his partner consider his complaints. So the jerk did listen sometimes… or was he listening because it affected his work?

Ugh, whatever.

Yuuri sighed, and Yuugo straightened up. “Fine. I will speak to the Professor about creating new riding suits for us.”

“You’re serious?” Yuugo grinned widely at his declaration--he was getting a new suit? Fuck yeah! Unfortunately the Academia assholes would create his suit, but he’d take it. “When will I get it? When are you going to ask? Can I decide the color? And--hey, wait. You said ‘for us’?”

“Hmm? Yes.” He tilted his head in affirmation. “For us. I’m going to be with you, of course, so I may as well have my own suit.”

“... You’re not getting on my bike.”

“We will speak of the details later.” Waving his hand in a shooing motion, Yuuri made it clear that the conversation was over. “I was reading before you distracted me, so if you would excuse yourself.”

And before Yuugo could think of anything else to say, the duel disk lit up again, and Yuuri began to ignore him in earnest.

Hmph.

“You’re _not_ getting on my bike,” Yuugo restated, for the sake of it. When he got nothing but a slim smile in return, he huffed and spun on his heel, ready to disregard his mission partner for the next few hours.

Now, to design his new kick-ass riding suit...

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	3. Cards

Did Academia students call themselves human?

They resembled humans. They have the usual head above their shoulder; they have arms, legs, and perhaps beating hearts--but despite that, Yuugo can't help but call them monsters.

The stack of cards in his hands had brought this on; his ‘assignment’ from Yuuri.. Every one contained some poor sap, young or old, and each image was just as sickening as the last. A woman clutched her body in fear in one card. In another, a wrinkled old man, looking already close to death, stared straight ahead like a petrified statue. The third pictured a boy no more than ten, curled into a ball to hide from the malevolent light.

Even children…

His stomach rolled like he was close to throwing up. Yuugo squeezed his eyes shut and dropped the cards onto the table. He slid his chair back on the carpet and swiveled, turning his back on the horror.

Humans didn’t hurt others for the sake of fun. They didn’t invade unsuspecting dimensions and card people-- _kill_ people--to uphold a nonsensical wish. What kind of messed up creature could look a living, breathing person straight in the eyes, right before taking their life? Who _did_ that?

Fucking Academia, apparently. And his assigned partner most of all.

It felt sickening to see the bastard’s face most days. They weren’t identical--thank god for that--but Yuuri’s resemblance to him threw Yuugo off balance, like he was staring at a distorted mirror. And the thought of Yuuri gleefully carding whoever stood in his way, wearing _his_ face with that disgusting smile…

Yuugo rushed to his feet, his hand coming up to cover his throat as a wave of sickness overtook him. The dull cement walls, previously a bore to gaze at, seemed way too oppressive. The City's police had never caught him due to quick thinking and Rin’s insistent warnings, but it wasn't hard to imagine his room as a prison cell. Nothing but bare walls surrounded him; no windows, no door, no freedom.

He had to get out. He had to leave--he needed some _air_.

Staggering over to his door, Yuugo felt at the cold, unforgiving metal. It wouldn’t open, obviously; he’d examined the door countless times over the past week to understand how it worked. Yuuri had kept to his word about the keycode, so he couldn’t leave unless the bastard wanted him to. And, well, that was too fucking bad--he wanted to leave _now_.

Rearing an arm back, Yuugo rammed his fist against the door. He wasn’t strong enough to do anything aside from slightly shake the metal, but he repeated it over and over, banging on the door and yelling out obscenities for anyone to hear.

“Open the door, you bastard!” he screamed, pounding hard enough to send shots of pain through his fist. “Let me out! I want to get out! Get me out of this goddamn room!”

It was silly to expect anyone to listen to him. His room was on the top floor of the castle, the only occupied room on the entire floor, so even if he yelled and banged until his throat grew raw, no one would hear or give a damn.

Still… _still_.

His final pound made Yuugo stumble away from the door, unable to disregard the pain any longer. The side of his hand was a bright red, mixing in with his pale skin, and his fingers throbbed in the same unpleasant rhythm as the beat of his heart.

Shoulders heaving as he breathed erratically, Yuugo scowled at the door and brought his foot up to begin again. “Yuuri!”

The door started to rise. His focus fixed on to the door, Yuuri thrusted his leg out without concern. His heel connected with a purple-clad thigh, and at the sight of a similar face to his shuddering in pain, Yuugo snapped back to himself.

“Yuuri!” Yuugo exclaimed, surprised at the sight of his partner. Then he blinked, noticing his foot had landed right on Yuuri’s hip, and leaped away. “Sorry! I didn’t mean to--” Wait, no, why was he saying sorry? This was _Yuuri_ \--why should he apologize to him? Yuugo shoved his needless manners to the back of his mind. “Uh… W-what are you doing here?”

Yuuri watched him without speaking, his mouth set in a slim frown. He broke off his heavy stare by glancing down at his hip, where the dusty footprint clearly showed where Yuugo had kicked him. Then his frown worsened into a scowl and the cold glare returned.

“You,” Yuuri said, terse. “You were yelling. Why?”

The weight of his glare had Yuugo squaring his shoulders to imitate confidence. Jeez, it looked like the guy wanted to attack him rather than talk. The feeling was nothing new for him, considering how the Tops citizens shared similar looks of distaste upon noticing his sort of people. But somehow, Yuuri’s inner thoughts seemed like they’d be several times more vicious.

“If you knew I was yelling, then you already know why.” Yuuri’s question had made him remember the whole reason he started pounding on the door. His hackles rose at the memory of the cards, and with it the resolve to leave came back with a vengeance. Straightening up, Yuugo marched to the entrance. “Get out of the way. I’m heading out.”

Yuuri stayed exactly where he was. “Have you completed your assignment? Where are the cards I’ve given you?” He followed Yuugo’s line of sight to the cluster of cards on the desk that sat off to the left. “I see you haven’t. Sit back down and complete your task before you ask again.”

“I said _move_!” Before he understood his actions, Yuugo shouldered his way out of the room. His elbow caught Yuuri in the side, almost in the same place as his foot, and he sucked in air through his teeth as his Fusion counterpart’s expression darkened until he looked damn near ready to tear Yuugo’s head off.

Yikes.

Jerking his arm back to the safety of his personal space, Yuugo scurried off down the corridor, eyeing the small balcony that led to the outside. His ears didn’t catch footsteps other than his own, so Yuugo took it to mean Yuuri wasn’t trailing him. He’d have been grateful if he was thinking of anyone other than Yuuri; for all he knew, the guy was wondering how to get back at him for nailing him twice in the same spot.

Ugh, that didn’t sound good.

Grimacing, Yuugo picked up speed.

Reaching the glass doors, Yuugo threw them wide open. The cool, wet blast of air on his face was a much needed welcome, so he inhaled as much of it as possible, filling his lungs with oxygen. Once he had his fill--and he no longer felt desperate to run--Yuugo placed his hands on the thin but sturdy rails circling the doors.

He almost felt disappointed at seeing nothing but more dull gray throughout the island; islands were green, healthy paradises. Academia contained nothing green or healthy and was completely man-made, and the school was definitely not a paradise. No wonder the students sucked.

The doors squeaked open behind him. He tensed, already knowing who it was. Damn, Yuuri must be _pissed_ …

He kept his gaze on the calm ocean as Yuuri reached his side. Stock-still, Yuugo waited for the first hit to land. He was going to fight back; he wouldn’t go down without showing the bastard how tough he was without a duel disk. He… he wouldn’t be able to see Rin again if he went through with it, though. He wouldn’t be able to save her from Academia. But she’d understand, right? She knew how hot-headed he was. So if he ended up losing and getting carded, Rin had to understand--

Unable to hold in his flinch, Yuugo jumped as his partner simply leaned against the railing, looking all too bored of the situation.

“Are you going to explain yourself?” Yuuri inquired, sounding indifferent. “Or will I have to punish you for not completing your assignment?”

Yuuri… wasn’t upset? The hell?

Nervously, Yuugo licked his lips, considering how to answer the question. “I don’t have to tell you anything.” Defensive; that always worked. “And that wasn’t even an assignment! You just made me browse through a bunch of carded people. D’you think I’d learn anything from that?"

“Of course not. What can simple cards teach you?” Yuuri’s gaze felt as heavy as lead. “I wanted you to get used to seeing them. As a soldier, you’re expected to get rid of our opponents while on the field.”

His chest tightened. “Don’t count on it.”

“It’s mandatory--”

“I don’t care!” Shoving off the railing, he whirled around to face his counterpart, scowling. “I’m not carding anyone, period! Nothing you or your boss does will change that, got it?”

Expressionless, Yuuri locked eyes with him. He didn’t look anything other than unconcerned. Why’d he have to seem like nothing mattered? Was it so hard for him to show emotions like a normal human being?

“You’re a monster.” The words slid out without his permission. His skin tingled, uncomfortable with the sudden intense stare from Yuuri. Breaking eye-contact, Yuugo returned to watching the waves roll back and forth. “And if I card someone, I’ll be a monster, too.”

Yuuri moved in the corner of his eye. Dedicated to disregarding him, he ignored the sound of him ruffling through his pockets. Far away, the waves splashed against the metallic port.

He couldn’t stop his flinch as a hand appeared right before his eyes. Leaning back, he shot Yuuri a glare. “What?”

Yuuri raised his arm up, as if telling him to look. “The cards.”

The cards…?

He recognized the deck that Yuuri held in his hand. No, he recognized the card--one of the captured older women within the stack. The frozen look of terror had him instinctively slapping the hand out of sight.

“Quit showing those to me!” he demanded.

“Acting as if they don’t exist won’t help,” Yuuri said, pointing out the obvious. “You’ll eventually grow used to them. It’s normal.”

“No, it’s not normal! It’s freaky--you can’t expect me to get used to this sort of thing!”

“And why _not_?” The sharp, biting question forced Yuugo to pause. Yuuri glowered full-on at him, finally reacting, and clutched the deck of people close to his chest. “It’s as simple as clicking a button. What about that sounds difficult to you, Yuugou-kun?”

Yuugo threw his hands up in exasperation, so deep in the argument that the name went straight over his head. “It’s not about clicking a button, it’s about carding people! You’re taking people's lives away, you asshole!”

“ _If_ they had lives, that is.”

At the comment, Yuugo’s nostrils flared, like he was a bull just seconds away from charging at the red cloth waving in front of him.

Rolling his eyes, Yuuri sighed, “Oh,  _fine_. Have it your way.”

Yuuri turned his attention to the deck. He inspected the first card for a moment, then he started shifting through the stack, slipping out several cards from the whole. After he had finished, he dropped the larger deck in his jacket pocket.

Eyeing him, Yuugo gave his partner a puzzled look-over. “What are you doing?”

“Helping you,” he vaguely replied. “So keep quiet, would you?”

Picking three cards from the shorter stack, Yuuri transferred the rest to his mouth for easy holding. Yuugo almost asked him if he had any idea where those cards had been, but his mouth clicked closed and he faltered.

Yuuri gripped the cards tightly between four fingers, hands shaped like they were ready to pinch. He tugged them into different directions, fingers tensing, until one of the cards gave in and started to rip.

“STOP!” was already out of Yuugo’s mouth, and he lunged forward before he even realized what he wanted to do.

The yell had tipped Yuuri off to the oncoming attack, and he moved back, but the balcony caged him in. Having thrown his body forward without thinking, Yuugo smacked right into him. They stumbled into the rails, and Yuugo used the confusion to reach out and attempt to grab the cards. He shoved at the hand which carried the cards, which then made Yuuri release his grip on them--and so, to Yuugo’s horror, the cards started to flutter over the railing.

“No-no-no-no!” Maneuvering around his look-alike, Yuugo clambered up the rail, shakily balancing on his knees. Shooting his arms out, he snatched up one card and had to reach for the second, but the third had flown out too far. “No, the card!”

“Allow me to assist you.”

A hand--Yuuri’s hand--settled on the small of his back, and _pushed_.

Careening forward, his arms pinwheeled wildly as he tried to grab on to anything. The only thing ahead of him, though, was the single floating card, and yards below him was the inevitable ground.

Crap-crap-crap-crap-crap-- _oh no_!

Unable to hold his balance, Yuugo toppled over the edge.

“Oof!” The wheeze escaped him as his chest thumped against the side of the balcony. Pain sparked through him, making him wince at the metal digging into his skin. But--wait, he wasn’t dead? He hadn’t fallen?

“You’re not as light as you might think,” a voice taunted above him. He hadn’t notice it before, but a hand was grasping his belt, tugging upward every few seconds. “Push yourself up with me, or else you’ll have to meet a rather messy end, Yuugou-kun.”

This time, he caught it. “It’s Yuugo, not Yuu--”

Yuuri’s grip loosened.

“Don’t drop me!” he cried out, placing his hands on the white bars. Surprised, he took in the cards in his hands--all three of the carded people he’d hurried to save. Huh, he must’ve frantically grabbed the last one as he fell…

Yuuri yanked again, harder this time. “Push, I said!”

“I _am_ ,” he grumbled. Following the order, he did his best to pull himself up while being held upside down. As Yuugo reached the halfway point of the railing, Yuuri switched to grabbing his shirt, and before long he was on solid ground, heart racing as if it had won a horse race.

Once he could breath without feeling the need to puke, he glowered at Yuuri. “You pushed me!” he accused. He lifted his hands, thrusting the cards out. “And you tried to rip these people up! What the hell?”

Cocking his head, Yuuri replied, “I was helping you. You couldn’t reach, and you didn’t want to see the cards.”

“Do you always think of the worst meaning to what people say?” Yuugo asked, narrowing his eyes at him. As it looked like Yuuri was going to reply, he shook his head. “Nevermind, forget it. Look, bastard, I’m not doing this ‘assignment’ again. Pick something else.”

“You’ve been requesting quite a lot from me, as of late,” Yuuri stated as he crossed his arms. “It’s becoming tiring. I’m not going to change everything for you because you’re uncomfortable with it.”

He… couldn’t complain. As much as he disliked the bastard, Yuuri did keep to his two previous promises. Yuugo was well aware that he was asking too much as is--he wasn’t supposed to make _any_ demands, especially not if it required Yuuri’s help. If Yuuri didn’t agree with his third request, then he’d just have to somehow settle, even if browsing through carded people made his stomach lurch and eyes sting.

Dropping his arms, Yuuri continued, huffing, “But fine. This is your last favor, you understand? You’ve reached your final strike.”

“Oh...” The words took a while to understand, so ready was he for a refusal, but once they did Yuugo perked up. “Oh! Okay. Uh, thanks, I guess. What’s my new assignment, then…?”

He shrugged. “I’ll think of one. Now, could you return to your room? I was in the middle of something before you started your temper tantrum.”

“I bet you were just _reading_ ,” he grumbled. “And I wasn’t having a tantrum!” Still, as Yuuri shuffled out of the way of the door, Yuugo listened to the order. Hand on the brass knob, the door clicked open, allowing him back in the empty corridor.

There was a considering hum behind him. “Oh, and Yuugou-kun?”

Eye twitching at the name--he was so misnaming him on purpose--Yuugo whirled around. “I told you, it’s Yuugo, not--”

White, brilliant stars exploded into his vision, and a hot surge of pain centered in on his nose. Rearing back, Yuugo collided with the glass windows and hunched over, cradling his aching, throbbing face. _Fuck_ , his nose felt like a fucking volcano--he could feel the blistering heat settle right in the middle of his face, and the liquid dripping down burned like magma. Shit, was he _bleeding_? Was this _blood_ coming out of his nose?

Over the scorching pain, which seemed like his entire goddamn _world_ at the moment, Yuugo caught the jovial tone of his partner.

“Do learn some manners, would you, Yuugou-kun?” A hand landed on his shoulder, and he couldn’t do much but allow it to shove him off to the side. “If you hit me, then I hit you back. It’s only polite.”

He gritted his teeth at the soft snicker Yuuri let out. Fuck him--fuck that _bastard_.

“And since that is out of the way…” Boots clicked repeatedly on the floor, leading up the corridor. “Follow me. Once you’ve returned to your cell--sorry, _room_ \--I’ll consider what your newest assignment should be.”

Clutching his nose--which wasn’t actually bleeding, thankfully--Yuugo lifted his head and glared with all the hate he could muster, locking his extreme resentment onto the uncovered back of his elated counterpart.

Man, _fuck_ Yuuri.


	4. Reunion 1

The first thing Yuuri said to him upon entering his room was: “Put your uniform on.”

The stern order startled Yuugo into lifting his head off the floor. He’d been partly resting, partly hanging off the edge of his bed out of boredom as he wallowed in the absolute silence his room had forced him in.

“Wuh?” he said in response, trying to wrap his mind around the unexpected appearance. He’d been stuck inside his room for, what, two days? Doing nothing but watching the bare gray walls and somewhat hoping (rather pitifully) that _someone_ provided him with a task. He couldn’t sit still and do nothing--he just wasn’t that sort of person.

“Your uniform,” Yuuri repeated. He gave a pointed look to Yuugo’s current outfit. “Put it on.”

Uniform…?

Oh, right.

It clicked, and Yuugo pushed himself into a sitting position. His Academia riding suit didn’t hinder his movement like his Obelisk Force uniform did, which was exactly why he threw his old outfit somewhere in the corner and never looked back. The suit resembled the uniform a lot, anyway, except for some little similarities to his former riding suit, so he didn’t even see much of a problem.

Throwing his legs off the side of the bed, Yuugo squinted up at his look-alike. “Why do I have to change? Am I going somewhere, or something?”

“Stop asking questions.” He bent down beside the door and, when he straightened, showed Yuugo the uniform that he had completely forgotten about. Yuuri tossed it at him without warning, and he shot up to keep it from smacking him right in the face.

“But it’s _stiff_ ,” Yuugo whined.

“Deal with it,” was the short response. “I’ll be waiting outside. Knock once you’re finished.”

And before Yuugo could complain more, Yuuri left.

Dammit.

Muttering about his stupid partner, Yuugo grudgingly obeyed the abrupt command and switched over to his inflexible uniform. After he finished, he knocked on the metal slab that made up his door, scratching at his neck as the need to itch amplified.  
  
The door rose back up into the ceiling, leaving Yuuri standing there. Taking Yuugo in with a glance, he nodded to himself and spun on his heel, boots clacking on the floor as he started to stride away.  
  
“Follow me,” he called over his shoulder.  
  
While Yuugo felt excited about finally having something to do, this... wasn’t what he expected. Where did the bastard want him to go, and why did he require this horribly starchy uniform to do it?  
  
“Yuugou-kun,” Yuuri said, and Yuugo looked up in indignation. “Follow. Now.”  
  
He huffed. He’ll find out later, then.  
  
Trudging after Yuuri lead Yuugo off his floor level and down some winding stairs. The change in his surroundings, while not large or shocking, had him gripping the waxed railing as he descended. He’d been staying at the castle for… a week? Two weeks? He couldn’t keep track of passed time when he never saw the sky.  
  
They moved on from the stairs to a lower floor, and then to another lower floor, and so on until Yuugo grew too bored of trying to answer his own questions and sped up to match strides with his counterpart.  
  
“Where are you taking me?” His voice bounced off of the walls and floors, echoing right back at him. Holding in his unsuspecting flinch, Yuugo looked up and scanned around them. The whole damn corridor was empty aside from them--where was everyone? “What happened to the other soldiers? There was a lot of them when you brought me here.”

When he looked back to Yuuri, he was staring at him from the corner of his eye. “You love to talk, don't you?” Yuuri asked, and moved on before Yuugo could defend himself. “Everyone is in class. This is a school, if you couldn't bring yourself to remember such a fact.”  
  
He frowned. “But where are you taking me, then? To a class? Because I'm not going to pay attention.”  
  
“Stop talking,” said Yuuri, staring straight again. They had reached the entrance of the castle, and gazing out through the see-through doors only showed him an expanse of boring brown rocks.  
  
“But--”  
  
“I said stop.” Hand raised, Yuuri pointed out past the glass to something in the distance. Giving him a confused look, Yuugo followed his line of sight. "There."  
  
Yuuri led him to a thin yet imposing tower that extended up into the sky like a skeletal finger. It loomed over the castle, and Yuugo knew that if he stood at the base of such a structure, he'd never be able to see the top.  
  
But… Something about it seemed wrong.  
  
Squinting at the tower, Yuugo breathed against the glass, “What is that…?”  
  
“That tower…” Recalling that he wasn't alone, Yuugo snapped back to attention and faced Yuuri. His counterpart seemed wholly indifferent about everything, but for some reason his blank expression seemed malicious, too.  
  
“That tower,” Yuuri repeated, “is where that girl is being kept.”  
  
Wh--  
  
“--at?” Yuugo gasped, like a fist had jabbed him in the gut. He shot forward, pressing himself up against the doors despite knowing full well that it could open with an easy pull. Face pressed against the glass, he stayed locked on the tower in the distance. “What? _What_? Rin? Rin is--”  
  
\--inside a _tower_?

“She’s there, as I’ve said.” Appearing at his side, Yuuri grabbed his shoulder and shoved him roughly off the doors. Yuugo went stumbling, too numbed by the shock to react. When Yuuri glanced at him, he huffed in amusement before throwing the doors aside to allow them out into open air.

The slight breeze that blew on him brought Yuugo back to alertness. He blinked owlishly, still pretty out of it, before he shook his head and dashed out of the castle.

Yuuri had stopped a few feet from the entrance, standing there stock-still like he was just enjoying the cool air.

“Wait!” Yuugo exclaimed, and whatever slight enjoyment Yuuri was experiencing seemed to disappear. Racing up to his side, Yuugo gripped his shoulder as if expected him to vanish into thin air. “R-Rin--you said that she’s in there? In the tower? But… but how can I…?”

How the hell could he save Rin when she was locked inside a gigantic fucking tower?

Just looking at the damn thing as it stretched up to the clouds almost sent him to his knees. How little had he thought this through? Not that he would change his mind, but… well, damn, he definitely needed to devise a better plan. Driving his D-wheel up that structure's inside suddenly seemed super daunting.

A hand circled around his wrist and yanked him off Yuuri’s shoulder. As the grip tightened, squeezing on his bone,  Yuugo winced and jerked his arm out of Yuuri’s hand.

The smirk shot at him had his blood simmering under his skin. Rubbing at the tingling spot, Yuugo glared at his partner, baring his teeth in a display of intimidation.

Having Yuuri laugh right in his face, _giggling_ like some normal person, didn’t make him feel tough, though.

“Cute try,” he taunted, after his short laughing fit had ended. “But we’re wasting time. You did say you wanted to meet her, right? Or have you changed your mind during the week and a half?”

“I haven’t changed my mind!” he retorted. “But if we’re going there, I need to change back into my suit and get my bike. I don’t want you on it, but I can drive--”

Yuuri was already shaking his head in refusal. “No, we walk. You can move those legs for longer than twenty minutes, can’t you?”

“I’m not incapable of walking! I’m walking right now, you bastard!”

“Good.” With a flourish, Yuuri spun on his heel, letting his red cape flutter in the wind. “If so, we should move now. The window of time you have to visit that girl is closing with every idiotic remark and counter you make.”

Huffing angrily, Yuugo tried to counter with, “I’m not making idiotic re--”

Oh, wait.

He flushed at the loud snort from Yuuri. “Idiot.”

“W-whatever!” A warm flush enveloping his face, Yuugo glowered and stomped past his look-alike, making for the direction of the tower. “You’re taking too long! I’m going to find Rin with or without you.”

“Are you sure?” came an amused call somewhere behind him. “Without knowing the way there?”

“It’s not gonna be that hard!” The damn island was just rocks and metal, so it couldn’t be that difficult to find the largest structure. It looked like it was directly ahead of him, too, so once he rounded the closest bend and kept going straight…

Yuugo came to a stop. A cluster of stones blocked his path. Piled up on each other like a bunch of rowdy brats, they led straight down to the cliffside. He peered over them, only to see the steel outline of the entire island. So, he couldn't reach the tower this way.

“Huh,” he said.

Releasing a tiny yelp as his shoulder was caught in a rough grip, he craned his head to look at his captor as he got tugged along the way he had come, unable to do anything but walk off-balance and try not to trip.

Gazing ahead, grinning all the while, Yuuri commented, “You are _such_ a fool.”

And, well, Yuugo didn’t have a good response to that.

\---

The tower looked worse up close.

Gulping, Yuugo followed it up and up, but he couldn’t see the tapered tip of the building. At the base of it, all he could make out was an expanse of metallic gray plating and dozens of columns leading up the top to keep everything centered.

Just… wow.

“Uh,” Yuugo said, neck craned to keep staring up. “Are we going to walk up this whole thing?”

“Will you complain if we do?” The roaring waves splashing a little off Yuugo’s right side had muffled most of Yuuri’s words. Lowering his gaze, he turned to his partner as he contined, “No, we’re not. An elevator is inside. Personally, I would rather not traverse this entire thing.”

Taking a moment to comb his fingers through his hair, Yuuri then strode over to the large double doors at the base of the tower. He shuffled around in his jacket pockets before pulling out a rectangular keycard the size of his palm, and he slid it through the lock. Yuugo startled as the ground rumbled under them like an earthquake. Nervously, he backed away, and then the doors started to open.

Shivers crawled up his spine. Past the doors awaited nothing but dark space, which he couldn’t see through even if he squinted. A chilly wave of air wafted out and slid over him, heralding a rash of goosebumps under his stiff uniform.

How much of a prison did they want this place to resemble?

As Yuuri made his way inside, Yuugo hesitated. The tower gave him nothing but bad feelings.

“Well?” Yuuri’s usual irritating voice sounded. “Are you not coming? This is your last favor, so if you would rather it go to waste…”

“I’m coming,” he grumbled. Shoving his discomfort away--he couldn’t save Rin like this!--Yuugo marched toward the entrance.

With them both inside, the doors closed, leaving them in a long, narrow corridor cloaked in darkness. The floors, walls, and ceiling were dark stone, and the dim lighting didn’t help to let them see at all.

Yuuri seemed to know where to head, though. He went straight forward and Yuugo trailed after him, trying not to cross his arms as he gazed around the hallway. The wasn't much to the first hallway; just darkness, darkness, and more darkness.

And then there was light. At the end of the corridor, Yuuri had called the elevator down to them. The intense yellow light from the bulb burned Yuugo’s eyes, worsened by the beams reflecting off the elevator’s steel walls. He grimaced, stopping to rub away the pain, but Yuuri took his shoulder and shoved him inside.

He’d been in this shitty tower for five minutes and he already hated it. How had Rin felt to be forced into this elevator, unable to run away? He always wondered if she was okay--he’d had countless sleepless nights over it, for fuck’s sake--but he never considered what had happened.

Had... had they hurt her?

“What did you do to her?” Yuugo blurted out, feeling his throat close up in fear. Fuck, _had_ they hurt her? He didn’t put physical punishment past Yuuri at all. “Did you hurt her? I fucking swear if you laid a hand on her, I’ll--”

“You’ll what?” Yuuri interrupted, giving him a slow, mocking smile, like he didn’t care for his half-finished threat. “You’ll duel me? We’ve seen the outcome of that already, haven’t we? It didn't end well for you, Yuugou-kun.”

He disregarded the steady rising of the elevator, completely focused on his taunting counterpart’s arrogant grin as they stared at one another. His hands shook with horror at Rin getting hurt by such--such _scum_ , and his teeth clenched tighter with each passing second that Yuuri didn’t properly respond.

If they hurt Rin, nothing would stop him from razing Academia to the ground.

“So hotheaded…” Breaking eye contact, Yuuri turned to the elevator’s dashboard, which housed dozens of buttons. One for each floor of the prison--and, damn, there were a ton of floors. “Don’t get upset over hypotheticals. I never laid a hand on the girl aside from when I captured her. Does that make you happy?”

“The only way that I can be happy is if I can take Rin home,” he said. But his shoulders relaxed, although a large part of him still wanted to smash Yuuri’s face in.

Yuuri shrugged, his smile just as smug as ever. “Sorry, but even I don’t have the keys to her cell. You’ll have to ask the Professor for that.”

 _Ughhhhhh_.

A rhythmic beeping sounded out of the elevator’s speakers, which were so small that he had barely noticed them. Yuugo hadn’t paid much attention to the rising elevator, but it’s speed had decreased as it glided up the levels, growing slower each second. That could only mean…

“We’ve reached the top,” Yuuri announced.

The top.

Rin!

“Rin!” he exclaimed. As the elevator slid to a complete stop, Yuugo threw his weight against the doors. His fingers bumped over the crack that marked the opening as he attempted to dig in and pull the heavy slabs apart. He was so _close_ to seeing her again after so long.

His frantic tries didn’t work, but the doors did open on their own. Because he held his weight against them without thinking, Yuugo went staggering out onto the floor, sputtering in surprise as he forced his body to stay balanced.

Wandering out behind him, Yuuri said, “You haven’t reached her cell yet. It’s down the left corridor.”

Lifting his head, Yuugo twisted his neck to the left. The hallway was dark, almost as dark as the main hallway, but if he squinted and waited for his eyesight to clear… there, he saw it. At the end of the hall was another door.

“S--” he broke off, unable to speak. His tongue felt dry and heavy, and he couldn’t find any saliva to ease away the tightness in his throat. Ineffectively licking his lips, he gazed up at his counterpart as he strode right past him. “She’s in there? Rin is?”

“It leads to another hallway, then her cell,” Yuuri informed. The short look he shot him seemed annoyed, for some reason. “Are you still shocked by the fact that you’re going to see her?”

“N-no.” Kind of…

Climbing to his knees, then his feet, Yuugo curiously scanned the hall to keep his nerves at bay. The elevator acted as the center of the floor; aside from Rin’s respective hall, three others branched away from it. One to the right, one straight ahead, and a final hall that was behind him and the elevator.

Eyes furrowed, Yuugo called down the corridor, “Where does these other doors lead?”

“Nowhere important,” Yuuri answered, now further down. “Could you hurry, Yuugou-kun? I’ve wasted enough time just getting you this far. You’re so slow when you walk--is this why you use your bike?”

“Ugh, shut up,” Yuugo groaned, not falling into the jibe, and he increased his speed to reach Yuuri’s side.

The door came closer with each step. Which, duh, but realizing that he was closing in on Rin, who had been missing for so many months… Would she get angry that he had taken so long? No--Rin wouldn’t react so extremely over something like that. She was more calm, more understanding than Yuugo could ever wish to be. But what if the kidnapping had changed her until she didn’t resemble his best friend anymore? What if she wasn't herself anymore?

A physical loss was one thing. Yuugo couldn't handle it if he lost Rin's _everything_.

Before he knew it, the door stood a foot away from him. Yuugo stared at it, palms sweaty. D-did he just go in? What the hell would he even say?

“Ten minutes,” said Yuuri, keycard in hand again. He swiped it through the slot and unlocked the door, right before he leaned off to the side, arms crossed as he waited for Yuugo to walk in. “Don’t take too long. If you pass the time limit, I’ll drag you out. However, I’d rather not touch you more than necessary, so at least _try_ to stick to the limit?”

“Go to hell.” Still, he raised a hand and wrapped it around the chilly metal doorknob, a bit more determined. He didn’t have to say anything--just seeing her and knowing without a doubt that she was somewhat safe and unharmed would make everything worth it.

Turning his wrist, the knob clicked. Yuugo paused, collecting himself for one last second, before he nodded and pulled the door completely open in order to walk inside.

Just one last hallway. He could already see the other door.

“Good luck, Yuugou-kun. Remember the time limit.”

Ten minutes.

Yuugo released the doorknob, having it shut with a ear-ringing slam behind him, and he started on his way to the cell.

  
  
  
  



	5. Reunion 2

Life changed once Rin disappeared.

He wasn’t talking about the obvious. His family had gotten kidnapped; his card, Clear Wing Synchro Dragon, could transport him across dimensions, and there was someone in a destroyed, broken city wearing his _face_.

So, yeah. Yuugo understood his life had changed pretty damn drastically after that horrible day.

It wasn’t just prominent details, either. There were little things--tiny switches he hadn’t known were so dependent on having Rin around to help him with.

The orphanage raised them to keep everything clean--Rin more than him. Cleaning wasn’t hard and sometimes Yuugo enjoyed the mindless task of scrubbing windows free of dirt or washing dishes. A full week after Rin’s kidnapping, when he found it in himself to care about his home and the other orphans again, the cleaning essentials were in need of a refill. He'd done the responsible teenager action without a word from Sensei and went straight for the shops--just for the owner to stare at him, sneer, and then shoo him back out.

The same went for getting food outside of the orphanage. The shopkeeper had always catered more to Rin’s needs more than his; several extra jars of her favorite pickles somehow popping up were common, and even Yuugo noticed how the old woman’s eyes shone brighter whenever Rin walked into the store. As for him, her eyes showed indifference more than anything. He didn’t expect any less.

Still, having the price of food _increase_ for him (and only him) once the woman realized Rin wasn’t returning had been… particularly eye-widening.

So he switched stores. And switched stores again. And continued to switch stores until he located a market not looking to con a poor orphan out of his small amount of money.

Realizing that Rin was who people liked didn't surprise him; he liked her, too. As his best friend, as his family, and maybe a little more--but regardless of how he liked her, his feelings stayed the same. She was his important person. The one person he would risk his life for, if it meant he could keep her safe.

And Yuugo couldn’t even do that right.

The door to Rin’s room stood just before him. It looked like any other door, if a little more solid and foreboding with its dark wood. The knob chilled his hand. The cold transferred over to his gut, making his incredibly light breakfast roll and tumble in his stomach.

Close. He was so _close_ to meeting her again. Despite his nervousness, he couldn’t wait any longer. There was the time limit the bastard had given him, after all. And more than that--he had a promise to keep. He _would_ save her, or he’d get carded trying.

Resolving himself with a solid grasp on the knob, Yuugo nodded and threw the door wide.

His eyes burned at the unexpected brightness. Releasing a strangled grunt, he scrubbed at them, struggling to force the painful tingling to disappear. The gloves made him tear up at the rough texture on his skin, but the stinging faded soon enough, leaving his eyes blurry and his face burning.

What a perfect way to see Rin again.

Glaring up at the lit lamp on the wall that had blinded him, Yuugo frowned, wiped excess water from his eyes. He turned right. The room opened up into a square room much wider than his own cell; it was about the same size of his and Rin’s orphanage rooms combined. The same dark stone as the rest of the tower made up the room, and the surrounding stone didn’t exactly offer heat for occupants.

As his eyesight cleared, Yuugo moved further into room. Everything seemed so silent, even his boots didn’t make a sound. He heard his breathing, and even that seemed thin and silent. He should fix it--but his throat quivered at making a sudden ruckus, so short inhales of oxygen it was.

Yuugo’s breathing actually lessened once he saw the cell. And a cell it was because, despite the misleading size of the room, those thick, black metal bars rising vertically from ground to ceiling didn’t look like anything other than obstacles meant to trap something. Or someone.

Yuugo ceased moving, even breathing, altogether.

Someone was inside the cell.

On the single bed, settled against a dark corner, rested a single figure. Her arms were up at her head, crossed over her eyes like she was resting. He doubted she was, though; her foot rocked to and fro on the mattress, and he caught her fingers continuously clenching and unclenching every few seconds.

“ _I'_ _m not jittery!_ ” Her grumbling was a clear to him as if she was standing right there, complaining and pointing her finger at his face. “ _I_ _don't move like you do, idiot! I just need movement to feel comfortable, so…_ ”

Yuugo snorted at the memory. She'd been so adamant that she was nowhere near as active as him that her face had flushed red in embarrassment. ‘Jittery’ described Rin’s penchant to shift around to a T, so he didn't know why she was so negative...

“What do you want.”

Yuugo flinched. The voice itself had shocked him. It echoed on and off the walls like a hollow cave, giving him an uncomfortable ghostly vibe--but that wasn't all. Her voice sounded blank, lacking in anger. Rin _always_ showed off her feelings, because ' _keeping emotions locked up won't help in the long run, Yuugo_.’

Why did she sound so wrong?

Licking his lips, Yuugo raised his right hand to wrap around his left wrist. He squeezed it, trying to stay calm, but even he knew he wasn't the best at keeping his emotions on a safe level.

Tongue extra heavy and dry, he croaked out, “R-Rin…?”

She stopped.

Sucking in a deep breath, Yuugo cautiously stepped forward. “Rin? Rin, it’s me, Yuugo. Don’t you remember...?”

He broke off as her arms dropped down from her face. Rin stared up at the ceiling before she swung her legs off the bed and to the floor. With a light push, she was on her feet.

What was this? This wasn’t how their meeting was supposed to go. “U-uh…”

“Don’t lie to me,” Rin growled, turning on her heel to face the front of the cell. “Don’t say his name, either. Get out of my room.”

As Yuugo saw her face, a bolt of lightning shot through him, nearly forcing him to bend over. Her eyes--those beautiful, amazing amber eyes burning with kindness and passion--they glared right at him. If Rin had kept her warmth, the core of her being, then she was the same person, right?

… Wait, what?

“I’m not lying!” Taking another step forward, Yuugo raised his hands, unable to keep them still. “I’m Yuugo! Rin, I know you recognize me!”

Rin bit her lip, which she did when thinking too much. “I said to get out of my room. I know you’re the creep who brought me here; you may have switched clothes, but I remember your face. You’re not my friend, so _leave_ , you bastard!”

“I-I--” He fumbled with his words, pushed off-kilter by her exclamation. She kept her curses to herself, and-- _and!_ \--she called Yuuri a bastard! They matched!

He had to clear his throat to continue speaking, although a tiny part of him wanted to laugh. “I’m not Yuuri, Rin! I’m Yuugo--I’m wearing this ugly uniform because I joined Academia!” Wait, no. “I mean, I joined Academia to find you!”

“Yuugo would never do something as dumb as that!” she countered.

It was great to realize Rin thought he was smart, but--

“I really would,” he weakly opposed, and her brilliant eyes flashed.

Yuugo gulped as she stomped closer to the gate. Her bare feet slapped against the hard stone, and her nearing arrival allowed him to see her outfit. He’d expected a horrid prison jumpsuit or a flimsy dress that would make him want to break the cell down (which he would still do), but her clothes seemed sensible enough. Her white shorts resembled her riding suit’s and her mint green shirt matched her hair. Nothing outlandish… although she needed something to keep her warm.

Blinking, Yuugo remembered his friend was standing _right there_ , giving him a warning look. If the bars weren’t between them, they’d be standing toe-to-toe.

“Leave. Now,” Rin warned.

He wasn’t going leave her, ever. “No,” he refused. “You just have to listen to me. I don’t have a lot of time left, Rin, so if you would let me explain--”

Rin’s arm darted out through the cell bars. Her fingers gripped at his collar and, with a yank, he crashed into the cage. Extremely startled, he wheezed at the pain, pouring the air from his lungs as the metal bars dug into his chest. _Ouch-ouch-ouch-ouch-ouch--_!

“I told you to leave!” Rin restated, although her tone sounded somewhat triumphant. “This is your fault, so don’t blame me because I didn’t fall into your bad trick. You seemed smarter than this, but I suppose I gave you too much credit.”

Grasping her wrist, Yuugo attempted to tug his collar free. His uniform barely had room to breath in during regular situations, so he definitely didn’t need to pass out from lack of oxygen right now, of all times!

“Quit it!” Pulling her foot back, she sent it forward and struck his knee. He toppled like a bike without a break stand, wincing as his knee pulsated in pain. “One more move and I’ll do what I did when you brought me here, you creep! I’ll kick you harder than before!”

This wasn’t going well at all. What the hell could he do to show her that he was actually her childhood friend?

Wait a moment--childhood!

“L-Lucky Pied Piper!” he cried out.

Rin paused. Her fingers stiffened in his collar. “What…?”

“The wind card of yours; Lucky Pied Piper. You’ve had it since you were a kid--doesn’t that tell you that I’m Yuugo?”

“... No.” Although he couldn’t lift his head in his position, he could tell she was shaking her head. “You can remember me playing that card when we dueled. I won’t trust you, so stop trying to trick me!”

Shit. Okay, okay, what else would he know? What else would make her trust him?

“Your bracelet,” he recalled, glancing at her accessory. The small green gem between sculpted wind patterns glittered as a beam of light hit it. “You’ve had it even longer than Lucky Pied Piper. You were basically born with it on your wrist.” He squeezed her arm, feeling her warmth. “Come on, Rin, would some random guy know that? You know it’s me.”

Silence.

Come on, Rin. Come on…

“Say--” Rin stopped short for a moment. “Say something else.”

Something else…?

“U-uhm.” He swallowed down some saliva as he thought. What else, what else… “Our dream. Back in the City, our dream was to win the Friendship Cup and to beat the King, Jack Atlus. I mostly wanted to win for the glory and fame, while you...”

Surprisingly, Rin picked up the slack. “While I wanted to show the Tops and Commons how nothing separated us from one another. I wanted everyone to grow closer and for our struggles to end. I...” She took in a heaving breath as if she was close to tearing up. “I…”

He squeezed her arm again, offering the only comfort he could give. “Rin…”

Her trembling fingers tightened on his collar. They tugged his head upward--inadvertently causing him to choke--and then he met her amber eyes, lacking in their usual heat. She gazed at him in cautious wonder, like he was a strange dog and she wanted to know if he was safe to trust. Past the wonder rested a wide expanse of grief, too. Rin wasn’t like him, but even she loved her freedom. Staying locked in this cell for months without feeling the air on her skin and the wind in her hair, stuck as some pet in a cage… He’d been stuck for a week and some days and it felt like hell. He couldn’t imagine what she must feel.

“One last thing,” she begged.

“... White.” Rin’s fingers jumped on his collar. “Your favorite color is white. It’s the symbolism that gets you. When you look at white, Rin, you picture a blank slate. People can choose to become whoever or whatever they want to be, regardless of external obstacles. It doesn’t matter if their goal seems unlikely, either; if they want it, they can have it, because they deserve it.” A thin smile twitched onto his face as he remembered her explaining the reasoning to him. It still felt weird, a little far-fetched, but he could see why she loved it. “Even making your favorite color center around other people… You’re too kind, you know?”

Rin dropped to the ground.

“H-hey!” he yelped, shooting his arms out to keep her steady. She had released his collar upon falling, so he could hold her up without issues. “Hey, Rin, what’s wrong? Are you okay? Don’t tell me they don’t feed you...”

Her words, while weak, reached his ears. “Yuu… go?”

His mouth clicked closed.

“You’re him, right? You’re actually Yuugo?” She lifted her head up, once again locking gazes with him. “That other guy can’t know what you do, so… You’re here for real?”

“ _Yes_.” To express his relief, he gripped her shoulders tighter. His smile had disappeared as Rin fell, but now it returned with a vengeance, spreading across his face. “Yes, Rin! It’s me, Yuugo, and I’m _really_ here!”

He had held off for way too long. Hands wrapped around her shoulders, Yuugo pulled her forward. Rin smacked the bars, but he disregarded it as he pressed her close to him, capturing her in a tight, awkward embrace.

She wheezed, “ _Yuugo_ ,  _bars_.”

“I don't care. It's been _months_ ," he whined. He pulled her closer until her hair brushed against his face. Her apple-scented perfume--her favorite--had faded as days and months passed, leaving her without a unique smell. Whatever; he continued to tug her to him, focused on knowing Rin was in his arms, _safe_ , and that he wasn't letting go.

Yuugo vaguely noticed a pair of hands holding him in turn. They trembled on his back, but he was shaking, too, so he couldn't fault her. It just made him want to keep holding on for forever.

“What are you _doing_ here?” Her face up against the bars, Rin’s words were clear to hear, although they sounded  stiff. She raised a hand to wipe her eyes, and the light showed thin, clear streaks on her cheeks that likely mimicked Yuugo’s own. “We aren't in the City, Yuugo. This is a whole new _dimension_.”

“I know. It’s called the Fusion dimension--you might already know, though.” Yuugo sniffed, clearing up his nose so that he wouldn’t feel the urge to start bawling. He could keep it together. Probably. “This school--Duel Academia--I don’t know what it’s doing, but you ended up involved in this mess. I… I saw you get captured by the creep who looks like me. The purple-wearing guy.”

Rin sucked her teeth, scowling. “ _Him_ ,” she fumed. “He ended up beating me when we dueled, and then I fell unconscious. Yuugo, his power was able to knock me _unconscious_. Something isn’t right about him.”

Good to know she felt the same. Nothing felt right about that guy.

“His name’s Yuuri,” he told her. “Although I tend to call him ‘you bastard’, like you do.” The last part of his sentence _might_ have sounded cheeky, but could you blame him?

His smile widened into a grin as Rin flushed. She slapped his back as a blush spread across her cheeks. “He deserves to be cursed at, you know! I don’t regret the things I’ve called him.” A moment later, she gasped, looking at him with a stricken expression. “I called you those awful names! And I threw you against the bars and kicked you--Yuugo, I’m _so_ sorry for hurting you. Are you okay?”

Yuugo lightly shrugged a shoulder. “I’m not the one with a bar imprint on my face.”

“What?” Confusion blooming in her eyes, she unwound one arm and patted across her face. Right under her left eye was a slight dip in her skin, courtesy of their too-tight hug, and Rin flushed red again. At his snort, she shoved his shoulder. “Don’t laugh at me! And you do have an imprint, you big idiot. There are a few across your forehead.”

“My _forehead_?” he whined. “They’re there because you hugged me too hard against the bars!”

“You hugged _me_ too hard!”

“You hugged me even tighter than I hugged you!”

“That’s a lie--”

Two knocks at the door shocked both of them into shutting up. They turned to look in unison, caught off guard by someone ruining the moment. For a second, Yuugo almost believed...

“Five minutes,” a voice he immediately recognized as Yuuri’s said. “You remember my request, right? Don’t take too long.”

F-five minutes? But he’d just started talking to her!

“That voice…” Eyes narrowed in concentration, Rin stared at the door. “I remember… it’s his voice! The one who kidnapped me. Yuugo!” Startled, he turned to face her, feeling his heart pump unsteadily in his chest. “You never told me what you were doing here, did you? And you didn’t mention _he_ \--” distaste bathed the word “--was outside. What’s this about five minutes? What’s going on?”

“I--” Dammit, he didn’t have time to tell her everything! They needed more time to talk; what could he do with this time limit? “Rin, it’s too long to explain. I’ll have to leave once I get finished…”

“Then get started now!” The hand still wrapped around his back clenched at his uniform. “Yuugo, I don’t know how long I’ve been stuck in here. Aside from the people who give me meals, I don’t see anyone. I need to know what’s happening, even if it doesn’t affect me. I just...” She trailed off, looking down at the floor. When she spoke again, her voice was weak. “Please, Yuugo. You’re the only person I’ve spoken to since I've arrived. I know we’ll see each other again, because we _will_ , but I have to know you’re going to be safe, okay? Please?”

He attempted to respond without luck. Rin wanted to make sure he was safe--that was _fine_ , she always kept tabs on him. But why now? He didn’t want to waste the last of his time telling her that he might, at some inevitable point in time, get carded and disappear off the face of the earth. What kind of best friend would he be if those were his last words?

“Rin…” Other possible conversation topics avoided him. There was no point in telling her what he ate for breakfast today, how cool his new riding suit looked (despite its maker), or even how the old shopkeepers had worsened since her kidnapping. Nothing mattered except for their current situation. For better or for worse--and it was undoubtedly for the worse--their lives had changed enough for those normal, bland topics to no longer matter in the grand scheme of things.

… There wasn’t a way to go back anymore, huh?

“... Okay,” Yuugo agreed, his previous joy almost depleted. “I’ll tell you everything. You can’t question things, though, all right? There’s not enough time as is. D’you get it?”

She nodded. “I get it. Hurry, before time runs out.”

He took a deep, steady breath before launching into the basics of his situation: his traveling between dimensions after her capture, the result of his and Yuuri’s duel in the City, the deal between him and the Professor, his currently unknown mission as a new member of Duel Academia’s Special Forces, and--the worst of all--his placement as Yuuri’s partner.

Upon finishing his summary of the events, Yuugo realized he was probably in huge trouble.

“ _Why_?” Rin asked, aghast. "Why would you do all of this?"

“To save you!” Shaking his head as she made to respond, he pushed on, “I promised myself, okay? When I saw Yuuri, the bastard, disappear while you were unconscious on his shoulder, I promised that I would find you and get you home safe. I’m not going to go back on it. You’re my m-most important person, Rin, and I’m not going to leave you in this shitty cage, do you hear me?”

His flustered stammering had ruined his cool-guy vibe, but Yuugo stuck to what he said. All of this was to bring Rin back to the Synchro dimension, their home. Who cared if the shopkeepers hated him or if they never won the Friendship Cup--those things didn’t matter. As long as it was him and her, standing together as always against the world, then everything was all right.

She watched him like she couldn’t think of what to say. “Yuugo… You’re my most important person too, but--”

“Your time is up!”

Yuugo released his hold on Rin’s shoulder at the exact moment the door opened. He didn’t have to turn around to know Yuuri was standing a few feet behind him, yet another unnecessary smile gracing his features.

“So?” Yuuri elongated the word just to sound even more annoying. “Did you have fun, Yuugou-kun? Have you gotten everything out?”

Rin muttered, “ _Yuugou-kun_?”

Clicking his tongue in irritation, Yuugo whirled around to face his partner. Huh. He was right about the smile, at least.

“I told you already,” he growled, “It’s not Yuugou, it’s--”

“His name is  _Yuugo_ ,” Rin interrupted. He closed his mouth--well, okay. “Get it right. Now get out of my room.”

One hand settled on his hip, Yuuri lifted his remaining one to wave it at her. “Nice to see you again. How has the cell life been treating you?”

“Fuck you.”

Yuugo released a surprised puff of air.

“As foul-mouthed as ever.” Grinning like the curse didn’t bother him, his counterpart transferred his gaze down to Yuugo. “Come along. I’ve finished your favor. You have to return to your room now.”

“No.” Shoving his back up against the metal bars, he stood his ground. “I want more time. Twenty more minutes.”

“Hmm. No.” Yuuri swished his hand through the air as if to clear it. “I gave you enough time to speak. Don’t get upset because you don’t have time management skills. Now get up before you face the consequences.”

He snorted. Consequences? Was he supposed to be frightened?

As he was about to respond, he felt a tug on his uniform cuff.

“Go with him,” Rin ordered. She rolled her eyes at his disagreeable look. “I don’t want you to, obviously! But I don’t want you to get in trouble, either. How are you going to save me if you’re making things worse for yourself?”

“Save you…?” Yuuri echoed. “That isn’t--”

“Shut up. Listen, Yuugo. I can’t stop you from wanting to help me, but I will ask you to promise me something.” Releasing his cuff, Rin reached out to take a hold of his hand. Despite the chill in the room, her hand felt warm. As a matter of fact, his face _also_ felt warm. Yuugo tried to listen. “I want you to promise me that you won’t go out of your way to get hurt, okay? Don’t go against his orders unless you absolutely have to. Don’t go starting fights with him, either, because I know how you are.”

He decided not to mention the time Yuuri had punched him in the face.

“Above all, I want you to stay safe. I’m certain we’ll meet again sometime soon--” she glanced up past him to stare right at a shrugging Yuuri, then moved back to him “--so when we do, you can tell me everything else. Can you promise me this?”

Rin…

Dammit. Friendship sucked sometimes.

“Fine,” he grumbled. “I won’t go out of my way, I guess. But I’ll stick up for myself. That’s non-negotiable.”

She sighed, but a slim smile stayed. “Of course it is. As long as you’re careful, I… uh--huh?”

"Huh?"

A purple uniform glided into his line of sight, causing him to jump. Yuuri scowled down at both of them before leaning down and snatching his hand out of Rin’s hold.

“Hey!” Yuugo protested, already straining to take his hand back. Ugh, why was his hand so _cold_? “Let go of me, bastard!”

Not even looking at him, Yuuri nodded down at Rin with an indifferent expression, then he yanked Yuugo to his feet.

“An extra minute and a half,” he muttered to himself. Despite Yuugo’s insistent tugging and pulling, he managed to turn them around and head for the door. “I asked rather politely for you to adhere to the rule and now I have to force you out. Your hand is disgustingly clammy, too, you know?”

“Then let go!”

“Just for you to return to her?” Yuuri released his hand, just to take a hold of his wrist. “No. I have other things to do today, so your meeting is over. Now use your legs and walk, would you?”

When it became obvious Yuuri had no intention to free him, Yuugo dug in his heels and craned his neck behind him, taking in the last of the cell and its single inhabitant. “Rin!” he exclaimed. “I’ll get another favor and come see you again soon, okay? I’ll find a way to help you!”

“I know you will!” Rin responded as Yuuri--who was basically hauling him along now--opened the door. “I’ll see you then, Yuugo! Remember to eat your vegetables and keep your clothes clean--”

The door slamming shut, cutting Rin off, was both a blessing and a major disappointment.

“Move,” Yuuri repeated, significantly more noticeable when Rin wasn’t taking up his attention.

He kept his eyes on the door.

“Yuugou-kun, I don’t have the time to care about you and your _relationships_.” Although his tone stayed level, the slight emphasis implied a hint of disdain. “You may not have a task to accomplish yet, but I have to get ready for mine.”

He had to swallow down some saliva to keep his mouth from wobbling. He wasn’t going to get upset, dammit. He promised Rin he’d come back. They would see each other again.

“You... “ Exhaling, Yuugo ripped his gaze off the door, transferring it to Yuuri. ”You have a new mission?”

“No.” He kept moving onward to the last door. In the hand not gripping him, Yuugo spotted the keycard. “But it shouldn’t take too long to obtain one. Our larger mission has not reached new developments, so I take care of tasks the Professor chooses for me. Besides, it’s about time I got out of this castle.”

“What sort of tasks?” Maybe if his jobs took long enough, he could find a way out of his room… Somehow.

Yuuri dropped his hand. Not caring about the why, Yuugo patted his hand along his uniform, ineffectively cleaning it, as his partner continued on to the keycard panel.

“Nothing of importance; duel this, duel that. It becomes boring fast, but it's something.”

They blinked as Yuuri duel disk lit up on its own. The light from the circular sphere had them squint, but Yuuri paused in his walking to pay attention to it. After a few more blinks, he tapped a finger on the screen, causing it to dim enough for Yuuri to examine it.

“What is it?” Yuugo asked, squinting down at the orb. “A message or something?”

“Hmm. A mission,” he replied. With another tap, the screen faded back to black. “My mission, anyway. Seems I was right to bring you back to your room.”

The newly assigned mission out of the way, Yuuri returned to the door. Sliding the card through, they exited out to the center of the floor.

Frowning at the elevator, Yuugo asked, “What’s the mission about? … Are you going to card someone?”

“Perhaps. But that isn’t your business, is it?” Pressing the call button for the elevator, Yuuri stared at him from the corner of his eye. “What? Do you want to accompany me?”

“I’m not doing anything if someone’ll get carded,” he stated, firm in his decision.

Yuuri sighed, though he didn’t think the sigh held any disappointment. Maybe relief? “How boring. Fine, then. Go waste away in your room while I have fun. Not like you can do much else, hmm?”

Rolling his eyes, Yuugo crossed his arms, deciding not to respond to Yuuri’s jibes. Even if he did promise Rin not to willingly cause trouble, he wasn’t feeling up to an argument, anyway.

“No response? Fine.” The elevator dinged. Moving inside, he continued, almost to himself, “Hopefully that girl didn’t ruin you. I would hate to have a dull, boring partner… dim-witted and impulsive is so much better.”

Fucking--

“Just take me to my room, Yuuri,” he ordered through clenched teeth. It felt good to order him around, even for something he didn’t actually want, but the taste in his mouth tasted a little like failure.

The elevator doors closed. Chuckling to himself, Yuuri glanced back at him before clicking the button to the main floor.

While they waited for the ride to end, he leaned against the wall. The events of the day weighed him down. Seeing Rin again had resolved him; he’d see his promise through, even if he had to die for it (perhaps he wouldn't have to die--then he'd break his second promise). Seeing her safe and unharmed should have calmed him, but the fire in him blazed hotter than ever. If only he could use those flames to burn her cage to the ground and escape…

No. It was a matter of time until they escaped. They wouldn’t stay here forever. He’d find a key, release the both of them, and then use Clear Wing to return to the Synchro dimension so that they could live the rest of their lives in peace.

He frowned, ever so slightly.

Live the rest of their lives in peace…

Why did that goal feel so far away?

 


	6. Confidential

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Or as I personally like to call this chapter: Filler.

Returning to the open air broke Yuugo out of his unusual despairing thoughts. Blinking the aching out of his eyes as the outside came into view, he inhaled as much of the air as he could, filling his lungs to the brim.

Fresh oxygen spread throughout his body. Without a stifling--well, extra stifling--prison surrounding him, his unpleasant worries began to subside.

Out with the old, in with the new.

Wait, no. Did that phrase work in his situation?

Yuuri started off toward the castle in the distance as Yuugo thought it over, following behind him. He kept his gaze on the path, staying clear of any large stones or rocks able to trip him.

Okay, so… Rin was the old while Yuuri (and Academia, by extension?) was the new.

Rin was his best friend; if he got cheesy and embarrassing, he labelled her his most special person. She stood with him through thick and thin, and while she mothered him and scolded him more often than not it didn’t change how he couldn’t imagine a life without her.

Yuuri and his cruel academy weren’t anywhere close to persuading him to trust them. Aligning himself with home invaders, war starters, and gleeful kidnappers wasn’t a part of Yuugo’s goal in the least. He may have had to wear their stupid uniform and listen to their leader, but he’d be damned if he truly believed in Academia’s 'just' cause.

Besides, any military school shipping abnormal kids out on _special missions_ lost the right to call themselves trustworthy.

Wait, wait, wait. Hadn’t Yuuri mentioned a mission minutes ago?

“Hey.” He sped up to match Yuuri’s long strides. “The new mission we spoke about. What’s it about? You never answered.”

Yuuri blew past the question like he hadn’t heard it. “We've completed two out of three of your favors. Once we finish the last, I hope you will cease complaining. Your whining is tiresome.”

“Don’t ignore me.” He scowled. “Your mission isn’t super secret, is it? And I’m your mission partner--” which he still stood vehemently against “--so if you’re doing anything, I should know in detail.”

“Don’t place yourself on a pedestal you don’t deserve,” Yuuri advised, and he tilted his head at the somewhat unexpected remark.

Ouch. Or it would hurt if Yuugo cared.

He couldn’t deflect his questions forever, dammit!

He glared at his back. “I’m about as high on the pedestal as you are, dick.”

Taking another quick step to keep up with his partner, he placed his foot down and it landed awkwardly on a wobbly rock. His boot slipped off, sending him tumbling several feet ahead of Yuuri, arms waving behind him as he tried to stay balanced.

He didn’t fall, thankfully. Before he leaned any further forward and landed with his face on the ground, he shot a gloved hand out to catch himself on a more stable stone.

Trembling at the unexpected fall, Yuugo released a breath full of anxiety.

Why was the path so rocky? They were too close to a cliff! What if someone fell in? Like him, for example.

A pair of gray boots appeared in his vision.

“Hmm.” He could hear the _you moron_ in his hum. “Seeing where you are now, you should reconsider whether we should stand together.”

“Shut up,” Yuugo grumbled before shoving to his knees.

After a insulting chuckle, Yuuri moved onward.

 _Ugh_. He gritted his teeth as he returned to his feet.

Balling his hands into fists, he reminded him:“Don’t forget _you_ brought _me_ here.” Hell, he’d be hard-pressed to try to forget, too. “I’m your partner because of your insistence! You promised--”

“I don’t promise anything to anyone.”

“--Well, you _implied_ you’d show me the ropes of Academia.” Which didn’t happen, because the parts of the castle he knew of were the throne room, his room, and the tower housing Rin. And he didn't know even one of Academia's precious rules. Yuuri sucked at following through with things. “Your missions are a part of Academia, so shouldn’t I have an idea on what you’re doing? What if I end up with a special mission, too?”

He could imagine Yuuri’s obvious eye-roll.

His counterpart’s head turned the slightest bit to meet his determined gaze, though he walked confidently toward the oncoming castle on like he knew the crooked, unstable path as if it were the back of his hand.

“You,” Yuuri mused, “a lowly traitor to the Synchro dimension, wants to know confidential information from an Academia elite?”

If he put it in such a way--and if Yuugo sucked up his indignation at the snide title--then he guessed his curiosity did seem a little off.

Still.

“... Yes?”

Yuuri’s shoulders drooped and he stopped walking. Taking a half-step forward at the odd drop of composure, Yuugo opened his mouth to consider putting the talk off until a better time.

Then the trembling of his partner’s frame made him pause.

A noise akin to a growl rumbled in his throat. “Don’t laugh!”

The laughter burst through the second Yuugo called attention to it. Doubling over as he laughed at him, the only guard against Yuuri’s obnoxious amused face was the single hand he brought up to ineffectively cover his obvious mirth. Waiting for his amusement to die down took long, long seconds, and he ended it with a cheerful chuckle and his usual disparaging smile.

Yuugo’s twitching eyebrow displayed how he felt well enough. “You…”

“Fine,” Yuuri cut in.

He faltered, blinking. “Huh?”

“‘Fine,’ I said. You’re correct. As unlikely as it is, you could have a mission in the future. And I am responsible for you to a degree; I should inform you of everything in Academia.” His smile became bigger. “And if anything happens, you're easy to place the blame on.”

Huh.

He didn’t like the blaming part, but he’d take it.

“So…” With Yuuri having accepted his request, he didn’t have much to say. “The mission…?”

“Not outside.” Lifting a hand, he pointed at the front of the castle not far from them. “On the way to your cell. Come, keep up.”

“It can’t be super secret, can it?” But he still listened to Yuuri’s order. “Is it so secret that none of the other students can hear?”

“It isn’t secret at all. But any mission directed to me is automatically labeled confidential.”

Yuugo nodded, allowing the answer. Weird, but okay. Yuuri’s rank did seem higher than the others. “If it’s not either of those, why don’t you say it here, when we’re not near anyone?”

“Because it’s funny making you wait.”

What had he expected?

Glowering as they walked closer to the castle, Yuugo accepted that he’d have to put up with his partner’s teasing attitude if he ever wanted questions to anything.

They reached the entrance in silence. Entering the building caused an immediate increase in sound and volume, and Yuugo flinched at the sight and noise of who knew how many teenagers mulling about.

The time spent at Rin’s cell must’ve gone on long enough for classes to switch. Students crowded the hallways, hurting his eyes with their awful red, yellow, and blue outfits. Why were they so bright? His former riding suit was better than any of their uniforms.

“Don’t fall behind, Yuugou-kun,” Yuuri chided as he continued onward. The students practically threw themselves out of his way as he neared. He didn’t seem like he noticed or cared.

Clicking his tongue, he said, “Then don’t walk so fast, bastard!”

He hadn’t yelled it, but a group of soldiers around them reacted as if he’d screamed it at the top of his lungs. The happy chatters around him quieted down in seconds. When he looked up at them in wonder, most of them gawked at him with pale faces and wide eyes, frozen in place.

For a moment, he slowed down, uncomfortable with the attention. But when Yuuri scolded him once more--“I knew you were slow on your feet, but _really_?”--he shoved the frozen teens out of his path and jogged the distance between him and Yuuri, who had reached the stairs.

“What was that about?” he said, as talking began to overtake the shocked silence behind them once again.

“What? Did you do something foolish in the few seconds my eyes were off you?”

“ _No._ ” Well. “All I did was call you a bastard!”

“Ah.” A shake of the head. “You shocked them with your crass language and brash personality. We aren’t used to having a moron in our midst.”

“They seem pretty used to having a dickhead in their midst, though.”

Yuuri stopped scaling the staircase without warning. Not expecting it, Yuugo’s face planted into his back, and stepping back nearly sent him tumbling down the stairs.

“Hey!” he grumbled, rubbing his face and ignoring the racing of his heart at the potential fall.

Yuuri’s expression seemed pleased. “Watch your step. Don’t want to fall and hurt yourself, do you?”

Air escaped his mouth in a angered hiss. Stepping out from behind him, Yuugo reached his hand out, grabbed the jerk’s red cape, then yanked his arm back.

Unfortunately, Yuuri’s instincts won; he had the railing in his hand before Yuugo noticed. He tilted his head to the side to show his unamused, blank expression.

Not lowering himself to blowing a raspberry, Yuugo lifted his head in a cocky manner and grinned as he strode up the steps past his partner. “Don’t dish out what you can’t take.”

His joy abundant, Yuugo climbed the stairs with a hop in his step. Looked like Yuuri didn’t always get the last laugh!

The students on the staircase lessened, perhaps because of the higher level his room was on or because class had started. Either way, he and Yuuri made it to his floor in record time. Good timing, because his legs were dying after the second level.

Huffing out a breath of hot air, Yuugo pulled his body up forward by grasping the railing, nearing the final step. “We’re away from the others now. Can’t you tell me the mission already?”

Yuuri replied, “Not yet.”

“ _Why_? Tell me already!”

“Not. Yet.”

Rolling his eyes, Yuugo stomped on. Several steps away from him was the top of the stairs, and then they’d have to walk a little to his room. He could wait.

A few steps further, he let out a heavy sigh. Why couldn’t Academia have an elevator or anything, like the one at the tower? All this walking would kill him one of these days.

At least he had a bed waiting for him, unless Yuuri stole it again like some… bed-stealing maniac. Didn’t he have his own place to sleep?

Thinking about it, he never asked Yuuri where he slept. Did he live close by…?

They were about to discuss confidential matters anyway, so would it matter if he asked about something as small as this?

“Bastard,” he said, “where’s your room, anyway? You spend a bunch of time stealing my bed from me, so--”

As his left foot landed on the final step and his right one moved to followed, a hand shot out and tightened around his ankle like a snake.

“Wh--?!”

The hand pulled, and Yuugo went sprawling across the floor.

A strangled yell stayed stuck in his throat as his knee rocked the top step and his chin slammed into the ground. Pain erupted like a bomb throughout his face and leg. He couldn’t judge which part of his body exhibited the most hurt-- _they both hurt pretty damn bad_ \--so he released a shaky breath through his nostrils. Clenching his fingers like the action could magically erase his pain, he dropped his arms before flopping down on the stairs in defeat.

Yuuri won. Again.

The _clack_ of boots came behind Yuugo in the quiet accompanying his trip. It paused on at the top with a pointed click, ending next to his head.

“Are you bleeding?” asked a voice from above him.

Tentatively, Yuugo used his tongue to make sure he hadn’t bitten anything. A metallic taste hadn’t invaded his senses, so… no. He wasn’t bleeding.

He shook his head, wincing at the spark of pain scolding him for moving.

Yuuri hummed. Another click of his boots and a _whish_ of what Yuugo guessed was his coattail, then Yuuri’s voice sounded closer, almost like he’d sat down.

“The mainland,” he said. “The mission wants me to go there. It seems runaways were seen in town. The higher-ups want me to go and take care of them before the day is over.”

Runaways? Higher-ups?

… Take care of them?

Any military school shipping abnormal kids out on special missions to _take care_ of others _really_ lost the right to call themselves trustworthy.

Rotating his hand until his palm laid face-down, he placed it on the floor and lifted his upper body up. Both points of pain burned and he wanted to tear up, but he had more to worry about at the moment.

Glancing up to see what Yuuri was actually doing, he found him sitting beside him, his hands neatly placed in his lap. Did he do anything without trying to look sophisticated?

His jaw felt as if he’d gotten a numbing injection in it. As he felt his face with his other hand, he asked, “What... what do you mean by runaways? People ran away from here?” People could defect without getting carded?

“People always run from something or other,” Yuuri said, although it didn’t exactly answer the question. “Those who escape are often Heartland invaders who were too weak-minded to stick to their job. When everything becomes too much, they flee for the mainland and attempt to hide. They tend to increase in number when soldiers return from the Xyz dimension.”

The Xyz dimension. Couldn’t forget how Yuuri’s home invaded and destroyed an entire city. No wonder some students balked and ran off.

The pain in his chin decreased the more he rubbed his face. Thankful for it disappearing ever so slightly, Yuugo huffed, pushing the rest of his body up the stairs. “So?” He turned until he managed to sit down, ignoring the pounding in his leg. “Your mission is to find these guys and… take care of them? Meaning--”

“Card them.”

So he had been correct about the carding part. “Right…”

What else could Academia do to display their power?

Frowning, he stared at Yuuri. “Don’t card anyone.”

“I see.” He nodded. “Card everyone. I understand.”

“You know I didn’t say that!”

“But what else could you have meant? These deserters are traitors to Academia. Carding is what they deserve.”

“But they’re kids, aren’t they?” The soldiers he’d seen were his age or older. He didn’t sympathize with them, but they were _teenagers_. “Of course they’d get scared and leave! They probably realized how horrible you and this school were and broke away before anything worse happened.”

Yuuri seemed a little thoughtful. “But haven’t they caused the worst to happen by running? This is their own fault. Academia doesn’t need cowards.”

“So you card anyone in your way, then?” Yuugo snapped. “As long as everything goes your way and no one defects, it’s fine?”

His partner’s head bobbed. “Exactly. You’re getting it, Yuugou-kun.”

What was he doing trying to have a sensible conversation with someone like Yuuri? It just made his disgust at Academia grow larger.

“It’s _Yuugo_ , creep,” he growled, shoving himself to his feet. His leg’s pain had descended into a quiet throb; good. “And I’m done talking to you. I’m going to my room.”

Spinning on his heel, Yuugo stormed away from his counterpart and towards his room door.

“You can’t get in without me,” Yuuri reminded him, and _fuck_ he was right.

He refused to stop, though. Stopping admitted defeat.  

Not responding back, he stomped until he reached his closed door. He hadn’t figured out how to open it yet, but when he did he was definitely going to escape. Well, not escape, but find something to help him and Rin leave once he helped her out of the cell. Some way out had to exist.

“Move,” ordered Yuuri, who had appeared at his side. Startled, Yuugo jerked out of the way and watched as he simply walked up to the door. It took a few seconds, but the door opened up, allowing them to enter.

How did he _do_ that?

Ignoring him, Yuugo strolled in. Getting locked in wasn't what he wanted, but it was better than being around Yuuri. He could drive anyone up the wall.

Striding past his bed, he drew out his chair from the desk and plopped down on the stiff cushion.

Standing in the doorway, Yuuri had his arms crossed. “You’re legitimately upset about this,” he commented, as if it wasn’t obvious. “Why? You don’t know them.”

He turned his head to face his desk surface. Anything was better than looking at him. “Get out.”

“It’s just carding,” Yuuri continued, disregarding him. “You make it seem as if we can’t bring them back when this is all finished. They aren’t dead, you know. Just imprisoned.”

“‘Aren’t dead,’ my ass.” Yuugo snorted derisively. “What else can they...”

Whoa. What?

They weren’t dead? … Imprisoned?

The hell?

Twisting his head to see Yuuri again, he demanded, “What do you mean they aren’t dead? They’re locked up--what, inside the cards?”

How'd that work?

“Correct,” he agreed. “They’re within the cards, not dead. So now you can quit snivelling.”

“I wasn’t snivelling!”

“Sure you weren’t.” Yuuri’s smile said _yes you were_.

Hitting the cushion of his chair as he leaned back, Yuugo groused, “Don’t you have a mission to go on?”

“Oh? So you want me to hurry and card the defectors on the mainland?”

“Stop twisting my words and leave!”

Sighing out a bored “ _fine_ ,” Yuuri dropped his arms. He inspected Yuugo with a piercing gaze, but whatever he searched for didn’t cause him to announce whether he'd located it or not.

“You have no task while I’m gone,” Yuuri told him seconds after his weird examination. “Enjoy these few hours of nothingness. Or don’t, it’s up to you. Goodbye, Yuugou-kun.”

“It’s Yuu--”

The door lowered as Yuuri left out.

“--go. Jerk.”

Despite his face-plant and Yuuri's inevitable mocking, their conversation did provide some necessary information. Although the people were stuck in those cards and showed such agonized, terrified faces, they were alive…? Or technically not dead?

Either way, in the future--or as Yuuri said, “when this is all finished,”--Academia will free everyone?

Yeah, sure.

Yuugo may be clueless and a bit of an idiot, but that promise sounded too good to be true.

Ah, well. While stuck in this room, he couldn’t do anything even if he did have a semblance of a plan. His hands were tied.

Being unable to do a thing about his dismal living space and lack of freedom… it felt like he never left the City. How depressing.

Releasing a sigh, Yuugo got to his feet and padded over to his bed. He fell, landing face-first on his pillow. His bed creaked at the full weight of him slamming down on it. Rolling over on his back, he directed his eyes up to the ceiling and thought.

What a day.

What a week and a half, more like. He hadn’t expected any of this when he agreed to coming to the school. He didn’t regret it in the least, though. He’d gotten what he wanted.

Rin was safe. Held captive at the top of a tower, but safe.

Now he needed to figure out how to help her escape.

Planning their breakout couldn’t be _too_ difficult.

 


End file.
